Sampling apparatus



July 31, 1928.' 1,679,064

- 5. E. STEPHENSON SAMPLING APPARATUS Filed March 26, 1927 2Sheets-Sheet 1 l a J/ FIG!- l I lllll lll INVENTOR.

W ATTORNEY.

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July 31, 1928.

S. E. STEPHENSON SAMPLING APPARATUS Filed March Hm m rm UINVENTOR. ,S.E. Shep/ransom ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES FICE. I

SAMUEL E, STEPHENSON, 0F ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

SAMPLING AIPABATUS.

Application filed March 26, 1927. Serial m. 178,802.

. The invention relates to a sampling appara-tus or machine and moreespecially to the class of automatic sampling 'machmes for use inconjunction with elevator heads, con- 'veyor openings, slides, or anyplace where materials are delivered.

The primary object of the invention is the provisionof a machine of thischaracter, wherein materials in predetermined amounts can :be extractedfrom a chute or other delivery medium, for the sampling of suchmaterial, this being requiredin connection with apparatus for themilling or treating of flour, the machine beingcapable of use withequal]. facility in connection witht'he manufacture or treatment ofother materials,

wherein it is necessary or desirable that samples of material beperiodically extracted for the purpose of inspection.

Another object of the invention is the provision .of a machine of thischaracter, wherein the construction thereof is novel in form and willautomatically extract material in predetermined quantity and atdetermined intervals, without regard to weight or bulk.

A further object of the invention is the provision of .a machine of thischaracter, which is comparatively simple in construction, thoroughlyreliable and efiicient in its purpose, strong, durable, automatic inaction and inexpensive tomanufacture and install.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in thefeatures'of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as willbe hereinafter-more fully-dcscribed, in detail, illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, showing the preferred embodiments of the inventionand pointed out in the claims hereuntofa'ppended. In the accompanyingdrawing.:'

Figure 1 is a top plan view of thesam pling machine constructed inaccordance with the inventionfportions being broken away to showdetails. 5

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 looking in thedirection of the arrow. 1 I Figure 3 is a side elevation of the-machine,showing the chutefor the material in vertical section. V I

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detailed view.

, showing the sampling bucket in delivery position.

Figure 5 is a fr r on the line a of were 1.

agmentary sectional view- Similar reference characters indicate'corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the sampling machine, comprises abed or frame 10 having the major portion thereof ofsubstantially'rectangular form provided with an open center 11, whilethe remaining portion extends from one end of said rectangular shapedportion and is curved laterally to provide an arm or crane12. vl0including the arm or crane 12 is preferably made from metal cast orotherwise formedand has provided marginally thereof an upstandingreinforcing rib or bead 13, the bed or frame 10 being designed to be,mounted in any suitable manner upon a foundation or support.

Formed on the siderails of the frame 10 are spaced pairs of journalbearings 14 and 15, respectively, and mounted in the bearings 14: is ashaft 16 which projects beyond the frame 10 at one side thereof and haskeyed or otherwise made fast to this projecting end a belt pulley 17constituting the power pulley for the machine. Mounted in the bearing 15is a driven shaft .18, while arranged within the open center 11 of theframe 10 are gear wheels 19 and 20, and pinthe perimeter of said'gearwheel 20. This The frame gear wheel 20 is at all times in mesh with apinion. 24 in alignment'therewith and formed on the hub of the gearwheel 19 next to'the pinion 21, the details of which will be apparentfrom Figure 1 of the drawing. v It will be apparent that motion istrans-. mitted from pulley317 through its shaft 16 tothe pinion 22, gear19, pinion 24, gear 20,

pinion21 from the sector'23, so that the shaft 18 will be intermittentlyrotated, while the shaft16 is constantly rotated for a-purpose presentlydescribed. y r

The shaft 18 extends beyond theframe 10 an that side remote from the defrom which end of the shaft 18 is fixed a disc having formed therein arow of spaced holcs 26,

in their location gradually increasing in .dis-

tance from the axis or center of the disc 25 and in any one of 'thesameis adapted to be detachably engaged a wrist pin 27 with which ispivotally connected a throw arm 28 or what is more properly termed apitman, the latter having cross head connection at 29 with areciprocating plunger or rod 30 slidably fitted in a guide bearing 31formed at the free end of the crane or arm On the outer end of theplunger or rod 30 IS a bail 32 in WlllCh 1s eccentrically pivoted asampling bucket having an open top and inner end, from the latter ofwhich projects an eXtenuat-ed lip 34 and this bucket 33 is adapted to bereciprocated through a suitinwardly of the chute it is automaticallyraised to receiving positlon for=accumulatmg sampling machine.

able opening 35 therefor formed in the vertical wall of a materialchute36, so that material gravltating within the chute 36 can be caught inthe bucket 33, that to say a given quantity of suchmaterial corresponding to the capacity of the bucket 33. Adjustably mounted upon thebearing 31 is a substantially L-shaped gage arm 37,

which regulates the tripping action of the bucket 33 accordingly to theadjustment of said arm 37 relative to the bearing 31.

The arm 37 has formed therein a series'of spaced holes 38 in any pair ofwhich are "I engaged bolts 39 which are screwed into the bearing 31 andin this manner the gage arm 37 1s ad ustably secured to the bearing forregulating the dumping or tripping action of the bucket 33 underintermittent movement thereof in the operation of the It will beapparent that by adjustment of the gage arm 37 and also the pitman 28'the throw of the plunger or rod 30 can be increased or'decreased and theperiodical dumping of the-bucket 33 can be altered at the fancy of theuser of the machine.

In the operation of the machine the sampling bucket 33 is periodicallymoved inwardly and outwardly through theopening 35 in the chute 36 bymeans of the plunger or rod 30 and the driven mechanism of the machine.ll hen the" bucket 33 is moved material delivered into the chute 36. On7 the outward movementof the "bucketa33 from withinthe chute'36 itslides overnthe gage arm 37 and afterreaching a predetermined point Wlllautomatically dump or drop to discharging POSllZlOIL as'shown in Figure4 of the drawing, thereby delivering the sample of mat-erial to apointof de- "posit as will be clearly apparent. In the working of themachine the extraction of sampling material will be periodically continuous and effected in an automatic man ner. these from the innermostto the outermost passed the latter, and under such conditions sector 23will properly meshwith pinion 21. The sector 23 is of the necessarylength to provide, when meshing with pinion 21 a full forward and rearstroke for the arm 28 so the bucket will have the desired extent ofshift thereby when moving in and out.

While there has been described in the foregoing what is considered to bethe preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood thatvarious changes in the proportion andarrangement of parts may beresorted to within the scope and spirit of the appended claims. It isalso thought that the construction and manner of operation of the devicewill be clearly understood and therefore a more extended explanation hasbeen omitted.

What is claimed is 1.111 a machine of the character described, a bedhaving a lateral offset guide having a curved laterally extending arm,

spaced shafts arranged transversely of the open frame, a combined, gearand pinion loosely mounted on one of said shafts, a pinion fixedto suchshaft and opposing said loosely mounted pinion, a pinion fixed to theother of said shafts and meshin with said loosely mounted gear, a gearloosely mounted .on said other shaft, meshing with said loosely mountedpinion and pro- :vided with a'sectonintermittently meshingsimultaneously withsaid opposed pinions, a disc: on that shaft carryingthe loosely mounted pinion, a pitmanadjustably connectedeccentrica'lly'to; the disc, a bearing formed ,on the free end ofthearm, a plunger reciprocatingly movable in the bearingand pivotallyconnected toithepitman, a bail at the free end of the plunger, a dumpingbucket eccentrically pivoted in the bail, and

ineans carried by the arm and controlling? j the period of dumping ofsaid bucket when.

actuated by the plunger.

'3. In a machine of the character described, a bed forming. an open;frame and having a curved laterally extending arm,

spaced shafts arranged transversely of the open frame, a combined gearand pinion loosely mounted on one of said shafts, a pinion fixed to suchshaft and opposing said loosely mounted pinion, a pinion fixed to theother of said shafts and meshing with said loosely mounted gear, a gearloosely mount ed on said other shaft, meshing 'with said loosely mountedpinion and provided with a sector intermittently meshing simultaneouslywith said opposed pinions, a disc on that shaft carrying the looselymounted pinion, a disc on the journal carrying the fixed pinion, apitman adjustably connected eccentrically to the disc, a bearing formedon the free end of the arm, a plunger reciprocatingly movable in thebearing and pivotally connected to the pitman, a bail at the free end ofthe plunger, a dumping bucket eccentrically pivoted in the bail, meanscarried by the arm and controlling the period of dumping of said bucketwhen actuated by the plunger,

and means for adjusting the last namedmeans to vary the dumping periodof said bucket.

. 4. In a machine of the character described, a bed forming an openframe and having a curved laterally extending arm, spaced shaftsarranged transversely of the open frame, a combined gear and. pinionloosely mounted on one of said shafts, a pinion fixed to such shaft andopposing said loosely mounted pinion, a pinion fixed to the other ofsaid shafts and meshing with said loosely mounted gear, a gear looselymounted on said other shaft, meshing with said loosely mounted pinionand provided with a sector intermittently meshing simultaneously withsaid opposed pinions, a disc on that shaft carrying the loosely mountedpinion, a disc on the journal trolling the period of dumping of saidbucket when actuated by the plunger, means for adjusting the last namedmeans to vary the dumping period of said bucket, and a power pulleyhaving connection with one of the journals for imparting motion to thegears and pinions.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature hereto.

SAMUEL E. STEPHENSON.

